Appeal No. 95-2599
Application 07/983,931
differences that Appellants have disclosed in their specifi-
cation. In addition, Sato teaches on page 9 that the T-shaped
electrode is formed by plasma etching, the same etching process
as disclosed by the Appellants.
We acknowledge that Sato does not teach in great detail how
the T-shaped electrode is formed by a single step. However, Sato
does teach the same material with the different physical feature
that would have a different etch rate. Viewing the Sato
teachings as whole, we find that Sato inherently teaches that "a
shaped conductive layer formed by etching ... with the lower
portion having a faster etch rate as compared with an etch rate
of the upper portion under the same etching conditions” as
recited in Appellants' claim 25.
In the alternative, we find that it would have been obvious
to one of ordinary skill from the Sato teaching to provide "a
shaped conductive layer formed by etching ... with the lower
portion having a faster etch rate as compared with an etch rate
of the upper portion under the same etching conditions" as
recited in Appellants' claim 25. The Federal Circuit reasons in
In re Para-Ordnance Mfg. v. SGS Importers Int’l, Inc.,73 F.3d
1085, 1088-89, 37 USPQ2d 1237, 1239-40, that for the determin-
ation of obviousness, the court must answer whether one of
9
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